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The Komaza Smallholder Forestry Vehicle (SFV) is a financial instrument designed to provide low-cost, long-term finance to smallholder farmers and forestry companies in Kenya by packaging tree production partnership contracts for institutional investors.

This August 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) handling of the political transition in Chad, the diplomatic divide over Israel's accreditation to the AU, and the coordination of military interventions in Mozambique. It also provides commentary on the geopolitical rivalry between Western powers and China/Russia in Africa and an interview on the role of culture in peacebuilding.

This document is a Twitter toolkit produced by the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) to support a social media campaign surrounding the release of the 'HealthyNDCs Scorecard' on July 8, 2021. The toolkit provides instructions and sample posts to encourage users to challenge governments to integrate health into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP 26.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the strategic position of African states within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It argues that African nations must shift from a strategy of blocking new negotiations to one of active participation, particularly regarding the COVID-19 vaccine TRIPS waiver, the stalled Doha Round, and Joint Statement Initiatives (JSIs) on digital trade and investment.

This July 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and political challenges across Africa. It focuses on the African Union's (AU) struggle to implement maritime security strategies, the rise of cybercrime and the legislative responses in South Africa, the ten-year legacy of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the impact of the June 2021 elections on Ethiopia's structural divisions.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines the policy processes and priorities for African nations leading up to COP26. It emphasizes the necessity of aligning Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-term Low Emissions Strategies (LTSs) with net-zero trajectories and COVID-19 green recovery plans to achieve a climate-resilient world by 2050.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes how Chinese infrastructure investment and trade goals overlap with Africa's ambition for a single continental market, highlighting both the potential for synergy and the risks of economic imbalance.

The report 'Killed by Breathing' analyzes the global crisis of cooking poverty, where 3.83 billion people in 71 countries rely on solid fuels and low-quality stoves. It argues that the current 'clean cooking' sector is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) due to fragmented governance, insufficient funding, and a lack of focus on end-user behavior. The authors propose a shift toward the term 'cooking poverty' to reflect the scale of the problem and recommend integrating cooking solutions into existing electrification infrastructure to leverage its finance and technical support systems.

Minutes from the May 26, 2021, GEC Steering Group meeting detailing the development of a green recovery intervention and a multi-year (2021-2026) 'social contract' programme to address inequality. The meeting also reviewed the status of five strategic priorities, including SME approach and funding pipelines, and approved a forward calendar for future meetings.

The report 'The Road to Sustainable Transport' examines the environmental and social impacts of global transportation, the evolution of international policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the Sustainable Development Goals, and case studies of sustainable urban mobility. It highlights the role of public transit, non-motorized transport, and electrification in reducing carbon emissions and improving public health, while noting the potential for post-COVID-19 recovery packages to accelerate these transitions.

The 100 Days Report details the activities of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) from February 5 to May 15, 2021. The organization focused on advocacy for Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), supporting the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy and the COP26 Energy Transition Council, and providing technical assistance for energy access in several developing nations.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of agriculture in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of Southern African countries. It argues that while agriculture is often mentioned, NDCs frequently lack quantifiable commitments, detailed financing plans, and the active inclusion of farmers. The document provides recommendations for strengthening these climate policies to better support farmers' interests and enhance the agency of national farmers' organisations (NFOs).

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) proposes a standardized Cooling Investment Tracking Framework to address significant data gaps in global cooling finance. The authors argue that current datasets focus too narrowly on equipment sales and lack the transaction-level granularity needed for governments and investors to align capital with sustainable cooling needs.

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) identifies key strategies to accelerate climate change adaptation across Africa. Based on interviews with African scientists and practitioners, the paper advocates for a shift toward locally-led, inclusive solutions that integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific projections. It proposes three primary investment pillars: enhancing people's skills and knowledge, building climate-resilient economies, and investing in nature-based solutions.

Minutes from the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Steering Group meeting on October 20, 2021, detailing the planning of the 2021 Global Meeting, the departure of Director of Engagement Emily Benson, and a status update on five strategic priorities for 2021.

The COP26 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines key messages and future directions for climate adaptation and resilience, emphasizing the need for locally led action, diversified finance, and the integration of nature-based solutions. It synthesizes findings from the Resilience Hub's activities at COP26, focusing on three pillars (urban, coastal, and rural) and ten thematic areas to guide action toward COP27.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines strategies for sustainable resource mobilisation to strengthen global healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues for a shift from disease-specific 'vertical' funding to a 'whole systems approach' that addresses the triple burden of non-communicable diseases, existing infections, and pandemic response gaps. The document emphasizes the importance of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM), the need for equitable vaccine distribution through the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX, and the potential for LMICs to leverage lessons from the AIDS epidemic to challenge intellectual property barriers via TRIPS waivers.

The executive summary of 'Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2020' analyzes energy access finance commitments in 2018 across 20 high-impact countries (HICs) in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. It finds a significant gap between actual and required investment for Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), noting that funding is poorly distributed geographically and often favors fossil fuels over sustainable, off-grid solutions.

This research paper by the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) examines the gap between the signing of regional trade agreements and their actual implementation in Africa. It highlights the 'crisis of implementation' affecting the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and discusses the potential and challenges of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The authors argue for a shift from top-down agreements to a bottom-up, problem-driven approach centered on regional public goods to ensure sustainable economic integration.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines three strategic steps for the Biden administration to re-establish the United States as a global leader in climate action following the 2020 presidential election. It emphasizes the need for a robust national climate commitment, increased financial support for developing nations, and the integration of climate change into core foreign policy to rebuild international trust and align with global trends toward net-zero emissions.